August 27, 2011

As I strolled through Camp Minnie-Mickey this week, I happened upon three of our favorite Disney personalities quietly waiting for “the big one.” I’m glad they brought a lunch box along, as I reckon it is going to be a long day. Goofy, wake up! I think you’re getting a nibble.

August 25, 2011

The Castle features two parts, a dungeon type area in the base featuring a Audio-Animatronic dragon, and above, a concrete balcony walkthrough area with Sleeping Beauty stained glass windows and tapestries. There are also several shops selling glass figures, ornaments and gifts.

August 10, 2011

Cinderella's Wishing Well at Walt Disney World rests in a small side
area high on the path that leads from the castle toward Tomorrowland.
Like its Disneyland cousin, it is a wonderful place to take a short break
in the afternoon or to enjoy a romantic moment late in the evening.

"If you look closely at the sides of the well, you can see the mice and
birds, trying to make a dress for Cinderella while eluding the evil
Lucifer. These characters were sculpted by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson."

-AllEars.Net

This is a great photo spot for romantic
couples. Come on! Make a Wish!

August 9, 2011

It was on this day in 1969 that Haunted Mansion, one of the most beloved attractions at Disneyland, finally opened its creaking doors. Construction on the Mansion
had begun seven years before, but work ceased on the project when Walt
and his Imagineers were forced to turn their attentions to the 1964
World’s Fair. After that, years were spent devising exactly what would
go inside the creepy house on the edge of New Orleans Square.
Originally, it was conceived that Haunted Mansion would be a
walk-through attraction, but with the arrival of the Omnimover
transportation system, Imagineers settled on “doom buggies” as a
solution. Disney Legend Paul Frees, who provides narration as guests are
whisked through the spooky attraction, also voiced narration for the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and was the voice of Ludwig Von Drake.

August 8, 2011

The castle, which was finished in August 1991 (20 years ago last week), is a bit different than the first Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, California. The French version features pink-tinted turrets, stained-glass windows and a basement cavern that is home to a dragon (La Tanière du Dragon), who awakens if you wait long enough.

August 6, 2011

Cue a horse-drawn carriage with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in festive Italian attire … a comical Italian grape-stomping … a fanciful ribbon cutting … Thursday’s celebration made for fun to officially open the doors of Via Napoli, the newest Epcot restaurant located in the Italy Pavilion.

On hand were Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot; Nick Valenti, CEO of Patina Restaurant Group (PRG), which operates Via Napoli; and Chef Joachim Splichal, founder of PRG and one of the most talented chefs on the American culinary scene. Among guests we sighted Paul Bocuse, the legendary French chef who opened Les Chefs de France at the Epcot France Pavilion. Architects, designers and others who created the light-filled restaurant were celebrating en masse.

You can make reservations calling (407-WDW-DINE).

Pizzas were flying as news cameras roamed the restaurant to record the happy occasion. Here are some photos shot by our own Disney crew:

The lively, 300-seat restaurant that is operated by Patina Restaurant Group is full of energy with an open kitchen and three wood-burning pizza ovens that represent Italy’s three active volcanoes (Etna, Vesuvius and Stromboli). Those ovens were cranked up to 700°F with oak wood, and we got a kick out of the Disney touch: each of the ovens is ornamented with an open-mouthed face, waiting to “swallow” the mouth-watering pizzas.

Elizabetta, our young server from Terni, Italy, walked us through the menu while we sipped Acqua Frescas, the house-made seasonal fruit juice coolers (the blood orange trumped the limonata). If you’re hungry or have at least four gathered for lunch or dinner, try the fritto misto, an enormous platter of fried mozzarella, calamari, eggplant, asparagus, zucchini, artichoke hearts and arancini (rice balls) – delicioso! dipped in the spicy red sauce. We also shared the beautiful insalata del contadino (farmer salad), a colorful plate of greens, fennel, radish and tomatoes in a light vinaigrette that was one of my favorite tastes.

Four of us each tried a different entrée: the tortino di melanzane (baked eggplant with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses); the lasagna verde with spinach, Parmesan, béchamel sauce and a generous flourish of nutmeg; mafaldine Amatriciana (ribbon pasta with guanciale pork, a light tomato sauce and pecorino cheese); and, of course, a wood-fired margherita pizza. Every dish was well prepared and we debated what tasted best (I think the rich eggplant and pizza tied).

Oh, those pies. Via Napoli Executive Chef Charlie Restivo shared the secret combo: the oven, the mixer and the ingredients. The mozzarella is flown in from Italy, the water from a source in the U.S. that is similar to the alkaline of the water in Naples, and San Marzano tomatoes – absolutely no substitutions for a “certified” Vera Pizza Napolitana, with specific rules, including hand stretching the dough. The crust is blistered and slightly charred to seal in the flavors, says Chef Restivo. The gargantuan “1/2 meter” to share is rolled to the table on a stainless steel cart.

Sweet endings are not an afterthought. We indulged with the hot, crisp zeppole di Catarina, ricotta cheese fritters with chocolate sauce and whipped cream; traditional tiramisù; pistachio gelato; and the over-the-top coppa di brutti ma buoni, a vanilla gelato with Amarena cherries and “ugly but good” cookies. Worth an extra lap around World Showcase.

August 5, 2011

Rainforest Cafe in Disney's Animal Kingdom brings adventure to the lunch and dinner table with outstanding American cuisine that includes luscious salads, pasta, sandwiches, seafood, burgers and poultry dishes, as well as a variety of vegetarian selections.

Top off your dining safari with a signature dessert such as the Journey's End Sparkling Volcano, a chocolate brownie tower topped with ice cream, whipped cream and caramel and chocolate sauces—it's erupting with sweet goodness!

August 3, 2011

Yak & Yeti Restaurant provides fine table-service dining during
lunch and dinner. Situated at the base of Mt. Everest in the small town
of Anandapur in the Asia area of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park,
this grand old house turned restaurant sets out adventurous meals of
Asian cuisine that combines flavors from China, India and Nepal.

The menu at Yak & Yeti Restaurant is comprised of delicacies such
as roasted half duckling with an orange wasabi glaze and—a signature
dish—tempura-battered shrimp dipped in chili plum sauce with
coconut-ginger rice.

Hot teas, chilled sake, Asian beers and wine are available as a
beverage accompaniment to your meal at Yak & Yeti Restaurant. The
daring might indulge in one of the exotic specialty drinks from the
full-service bar like the Yak Attack, Shanghai Express and Bonsai Blast.

The children's menu at Yak & Yeti Restaurant offers egg rolls,
burgers and a veggie lo mein—sure to satisfy young adventurers as well
as picky eaters.

This restaurant offers a feast to pique your yearning to find the yeti.

Beautifully decorated with Nepalese artistic touches and sand-washed
hues, Yak & Yeti Restaurant features an array of artifacts from the
collection "the proprietor" and his family amassed from their travels
across Southeast Asia. Some of these souvenirs include statues, fine
tapestries and 900-pound, gold inlaid silk puppets.

Collect a few trinkets of your own from the Yak & Yeti Restaurant
gift shop, which carries an assortment of regional wares, from incense,
sushi plates and fine teapots, to silk purses and saris.

On June 8, 1924, George Mallory disappeared on Mount Everest during his third summit attempt. He was almost 38 years old. He was carrying rudimentary equipment, including a few heavy oxygen tanks, and reaching the "third pole" would be as challenging as going to the moon. At over 29,000 feet, Mount Everest is the world's tallest mountain.
Early explorers considered it the “third pole,” since the North and
South Poles were discovered only decades earlier.